Under-center gun toggle mechanism with toggle biasing means at given position

ABSTRACT

A toggle action pistol in which an under-center toggle is tripped to recede into its handle by the effects of gas pressure generated at the time of firing and employing a toggle biasing means at a given position on the toggle mechanism.

niiefl States P316111 1 [In 3,732,779

Perrine 1 May 15, 1973 [541 UNDER-CENTER GUN TOGGLE [56] References Cited MECHANISM WITH TOGGLE BIASING MEANS AT GIVEN POSITION UN'TED STATES PATENTS v Inventor: Walter E- Perrine, 11833 wy 317,162 5/1885 Maxim ..89/l89 gg g Los Angeles Cahf' Primary Examiner-Stephen C. Bentley [22] Filed. Oct 22 1971 Attorney-Warren F. B. Lindsley [21] Appl. No.: 191,619 ABSTRACT A toggle action pistol in which an under-center toggle [52] US. Cl. ..89/l89, 42/71 P is PP recede into its handle by the effects of gas 51 Int. Cl. ..F4lc 5/02 Pressure generated at the time of firing and p y g 581 Field of Search ..89/168, 175, 189; a toggle biasing means at a given position on the 42/71 p gle mechanism.

8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEWS'W 3,732,779

SHEET 1 UF 3 INVENTOR. ML T512 15. PEER/NE ATTOZN PATEHTED HAY I 51m SHEET 2 OF 3 INVENTOR. R Muae [.Paeewe BY may A 7' TOKNEE PATENTED MAY! 5 I975 SHEET 3 BF 3 I NVENTOR. Mum PEZE/NE A 7' TOR/V56 UNDER-CENTER GUN TOGGLE MECHANISM WITH TOGGLE BIASING MEANS AT GIVEN POSITION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to toggle action weapons, and is particularly directed to means for causing a blow back toggle to recede into the handle of the pistol by gas pressure generated at the time of firing and employing a toggle biasing means at a given position on the toggle mechanism.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention is particularly directed to toggle action weapons such as pistols wherein the toggle is tripped from an under-center locked position by gas pressure from the gun barrel when the gun is fired. The toggle is caused to recede into the handle of the piston to offset the effects of firing recoil and is biased toward its under-center locked position by a spring means bearing on the toggle at a given position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Heretofore, the majority of all toggle actuated weapons of this class have been recoil operated, thus lending their complexity to a degree of inefficiency that was not acceptable to the public or to the military market. Fur ther, all prior small and hand-held weapons, pistols, revolvers and submachine guns have been limited to the use of small, low energy piston ammunition, and were limited as to size, weight, chamber pressure and velocity of the projectile.

Under-center toggles in toggle action weapons can be made to work as efficiently and lock as permanently when properly designed as an over-center toggle for the same mechanism. Under-center toggle action weapons and particularly pistols can be designed to use high chamber pressure ammunition, i.e., heavy charged ammunition, and to use it effectively in a short barreled weapon.

The under-center toggle can be locked effectively in slightly under-center position requiring pressure from the exploding bullet to trigger it, causing it to collapse.

Heretofore it was necessary to use an over-center toggle if heavily charged ammunition was to be used efficiently. In fact it has been found that heavily charged bullets can be used effectively in a short barreled gun having slightly under-center toggle locking mechanisms because the toggle has a shorter distance to move before it'collapses than does a similar overcenter toggle action weapon, and accordingly its rate of repetitive operation or cycle of operation is of a shorter time than heretofore possible with the over-center toggle action weapon.

When comparing the under-center toggle action weapon to the known blowback and hesitation lock types of toggle action weapons the disclosed mechanism is a little slower than the blowback type oftriggering toggle action weapon as described in U. S. Pat. ap-

plication Ser. No. 882,009, filed Dec. 4, 1969 now U.S.

Pat. No. 3,630,1l9 and entitled Gas Operated Toggle Action Weapon and the hesitation type weapon as de- -In accordance with the invention claimed herein, a,

new and improved toggle action weapon is provided reacting on the toggle in a given position return the toggle to a predetermined undercenter locked position, which position accomplishes the function of a locked over-center position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention claimed, an improved under-center toggle action weapon is provided which is locked in an under-center position and triggered by gas pressure generated in its gun barrel.

It is, therefore, one object of this invention to provide an improved under-center toggle action weapon in which gas pressure generated in a gun barrel is needed to trip the toggle, causing it to recede to a retracted position in the handle of the weapon.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved under-center toggle actionweapon biased to its under-center position by spring means engaging the toggle in a particular manner.

A further object of this invention is to provide a weapon with a toggle design such that it can utilize high chamber presure ammunition.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a weapon having an under-center toggle tripped by pressure generated in the gun barrel which controls the breech pressure at the time of opening so as to eliminate or greatly reduce residual pressure at the time the breech opens.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an adjustably positioned under-center toggle for a weapon that employs a biasing means reacting against the toggle in a predetermined position so that it is dynamically balanced to accomplish a smooth, consistent, and continuous pressure throughout the movement of the bolt after tripping, in which the line of force from the mov ing parts is directed to the palm of the hand, thereby virtually eliminating all noticeable recoil.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a gas operated toggle action weapon taken on the line 1-1 of FIG. 2, and incorporating the features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2+2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged end view on. the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the weapon shown in FIG. 2 taken along the line 44;

FIG. 5 is a modification of the gas operated toggle action weapon shown in FIG. 1 employing a particular arrangement of the toggle biasing means and the gas discharge passage for tripping the toggle; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 66 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIGS. 1-4 illustrate an example of one embodiment of this invention. For more details of the gun illustrated, reference is made to the copending application filed Dec. 4, 1969, by the same inventor of this application now US. Pat. 3,630,l 19. More particularly FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a pistol having a frame and a handle 11, a trigger 12 with trigger guard 13, and bullet magazine 14. A demountable adjustably positioned barrel 15 has a rear end diameter portion 16 which is received in the semi-circular bore 18 in the front end of the frame 10. An elongated clamp 20 is pivotally mounted on a suitable hinge screw 21 secured in the frame 10 so that the clamp 20 can swing downwardly as shown in FIG. 2 to the broken line position 20a. Reference is made to the copending application for more detail of this structure. The outer end of the clamp 20 is provided with a mating semi-circular bore and groove to match bore 18 to grip the diameter portion 16 to secure the gun barrel 15 in firing position on the frame 10.

The bullet magazine 14 is demountably secured by the usual releasable latch in a guide sleeve 27 of the frame 10 to feed the bullets 28 into insertion and firing position by the usual bolt 29, which moves on the guide keys 30 in appropriate guide slots 31 and 32 in the frame 10 and clamp 20. The rear end of the bolt 29 is pivotally connected by a pivot pin 34 carried in the front end of the front link 35, the rear end of which is pivotally connected by a pivot pin 36 to the front end of the rear link 37, in turn pivotally connected by a pivot pin 38 carried in the rear portion of the frame 10 to thus provide a toggle -37 for controlling the movement of the bolt 29.

Normally, when the bullet 28 has been loaded in the barrel in firing position, the toggle 35-37 is aligned, as shown in full line in FIG. 1, at which time the axis 40 of pin 36 is slightly below a line between the axes 41 and 42 of pins 34 and 38 so that the toggle 35-37 is in an under-center locked position as shown in full line in FIG. 1. A compression spring 44 is carried on a push rod 45 slidingly supported in a clearance hole 46 in a baffle 47 in the handle 11 and pivotally connected by a pin 48 to the link 37, the compression spring 44 oper- The toggle 35-37 is tripped from under-center i locked position by gas pressure from the gun barrel when the gun is fired. v

In accordance with the invention claimed a gas tube 50 is provided which communicates between a port 51 in the gun barrel 15 and a chamber 52 arranged at the back or handle end of the weapon immediately above the under-center toggle 35-37. Chamber 52 contains an opening or orifice 53 directly above the undercenter toggle so that gas under pressure from the gun barrel can be communicated directly to the undercenter toggle.

If desired, a pocket 54 may be formed in one of the links of the over-center toggle such as link 37 to form a means for holding or controlling the gas under pressure used to trip the toggle mechanism. Although the pocket 54 is shown in the drawing it is not intended that it be a limitation of the disclosure since gas under pressure in tube 50 will trip the under-center toggle without the pocket indentation, although the pocket more closely controls the direction of gas pressure applied to the toggle mechanism.

As shown in the drawing a compression spring 61 is arranged between a shoulder 62, formed around a bore 63 defined in a protruding lug 64 of bolt 29 and a ridge 62a formed in a bore 65 defined by frame 10 and clamp 20. Lug 64 is shown as being integral with bolt 29.

When bullet 28 is fired gas under pressure in barrel I 15 is driven through port 51, tube 50, chamber 52 and its orifice 53 to link 37 of the over-center toggle tripping the toggle, causing it to start to retract to its dotted position shown in the handle of the pistol in FIG. 1.

At the time bullet 28 is fired and leaves the barrel 15 and is on its way to its target, residual pressure existing in a chamber 58 will drive bolt 29 backwards with sufficient force to complete the travel of the toggle mechanism 35-37 sufficient to move the center pin 36 and force it to complete its downward travel along the arcuate path 59 to its lowest point 60 down inside the handle 11 of the gun against the bias of compressing spring 44.

The inertia of the bolt 29 continues rearwardly, compressing the recoil compression spring 61 until the end of the lug 64 engages a stop surface 67 of the frame 10. The bolt 29 and toggle 35-37 are returned to their original positions by the stored-up energy in the two springs 44 and 61. This completes the firing cycle and prepares the gun for the second firing, having picked up an additional bullet 28 from the clip magazine and placed it in the chamber when the tolt returned to its original position by well known conventional mechanism.

In order to trip the toggle 35-37 to load the first bullet into the gun, a manual lever 70 is provided on the gun which, when rotated by the operator clockwise against the action of spring 71, contacts the undercenter toggle 35-37, causing it to trip far enough to allow the operator to move the bolt 29 back sufficiently to allow a bullet 28 from the clip magazine 14 to enter the chamber of the gun for the first firing action. Upon collapse of the toggle, bolt 29 is moved rearwardly by the operator pulling on rod 72.

As shown in FIGS. 1-4, the toggle 35-37, when in the under-center locked position and in its collapsed position, causes very little lateral movement of push rod 45 so that most of the action of compression spring 44 acts longitudinally of the length of push rod 45 to take substantially full advantage of its expansion and contraction forces for moving the toggle to its locked and unlocked positions. This type of action aids in absorbing the reaction forces or kick" of the weapon upon explosion of the bullets used in the weapon.

In FIGS. 5 and 6 a weapon 10' is shown which is similar to weapon 10 shown in FIG. 1, and wherein like parts of a substantially similar configuration are provided with the same reference characters identified with a prime symbol. Weapo'n 10' differs from weapon 10 in that pin 48 connecting push rod 45' to the toggle 35-37 is connected to it so that the longitudinal axis of rod 45' is substantially perpendicular to axis 40" of pin 36. This arrangement provides a more effective force absorbing action by compression spring 44'that that of the weapon shown in FIG. 1 and also the weapons of the prior art.

In accordance with the design configuration shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the gas tube 50' communicates between port 51 in the gun barrel and chamber 52 arranged at the back or handle end of the weapon imme- 65' defined by frame 10' and clamp Lug 64' is shown as being integral with bolt 29'. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, bore 65' is of sufficient length so that compression spring 61', when fully compressed in toggle collapsed position, is substantially contained within bore 65.

It should be further noted that bolt 29 moves on guide keys 30' in appropriate guide slots 31' and 32' in frame 10' and clamp 20 longitudinally of the breech opening 33 as heretofore described for weapon 10 shown in FIGS. 1-4.

The particular advantage of the weapon shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is that it is so designed by the connection of push rod 45' to the toggle 35'-37' that it more effectively absorbs recoil of the weapon and effectively locks the toggle in its under-center locked position, where it takes the force of the bullet exploding to collapse the toggle.

Although but two embodiments of the invention have been shown and claimed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variouschanges and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A toggle action gun comprising:

a frame,

a handle on the frame,

a hollow barrel having a firing chamber,

a bolt movable in the frame axially to and from the firing chamber of the gun barrel,

a toggle interconnected between the bolt and the frame, said toggle being characterized by an undercenter position slightly below a line between the outer pivot axes of the toggle on the bolt and on the frame,

conduit means interconnecting the interior of said hollow barrel with a zone immediately adjacent said under-center toggle for transmitting gas under pressure in said barrel during firing to said zone for releasing said toggle from its under-center position, compression means for controlling the movement of said toggle as it collapses by causing its intermediate pivot axis to swing downwardly within the handle of the gun, said compression means comprising a push rod pivotally mounted on said toggle at a point between its end and slidably mounted for movement longitudinally in said handle, and

spring means mounted on said push rod between a fixed flange in said handle and a fixed flange on said push rod for compressing said spring means as it compresses during movement of said push rod in said handle during collapsing of said toggle, said spring means biasing said toggle to its under-center position after a collapsing action of said toggle.

2. A toggle action gun as set forth in claim 1 wherein said spring means comprises a compression coil spring mounted around said push rod between said fixed flange on said push rod and said fixed flange in said handle.

3. A toggle action gun as set forth in claim 1 wherein said push rod is pivotally mounted on said toggle and arranged to move substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the handle during movement of said toggle.

4. A toggle action gun as set forth in claim 1 wherein said push rod is pivotally mounted adjacent said intermediate pivot axis of said toggle.

5. A toggle action gun as set forth in claim 2 wherein a spring is mounted between said bolt and said frame for biasing said bolt toward its under-center toggle locked position.

6. A toggle action gun as set forth in claim 4 in further combination with a second compression spring mounted between said bolt and said frame for movement parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bolt for biasing said bolt to its toggle under-center locked position, said spring means and said second compression spring cooperating to drive said bolt and said toggle back to its under-center locked position after a toggle collapsing operation.

7. A toggle action gun as set forth in claim 6 wherein said push rod is slidably movable in said handle of said gun substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of said handle during 'a collapsing and extending movement of said toggle.

8. A toggle action gun as set forth in claim 1 wherein said conduit means is capable of transmitting chamber pressures in excess of known, barrel pressures to said zone immediately adjacent said under-center toggle. 

1. A toggle action gun comprising: a frame, a handle on the frame, a hollow barrel Having a firing chamber, a bolt movable in the frame axially to and from the firing chamber of the gun barrel, a toggle interconnected between the bolt and the frame, said toggle being characterized by an under-center position slightly below a line between the outer pivot axes of the toggle on the bolt and on the frame, conduit means interconnecting the interior of said hollow barrel with a zone immediately adjacent said under-center toggle for transmitting gas under pressure in said barrel during firing to said zone for releasing said toggle from its under-center position, compression means for controlling the movement of said toggle as it collapses by causing its intermediate pivot axis to swing downwardly within the handle of the gun, said compression means comprising a push rod pivotally mounted on said toggle at a point between its end and slidably mounted for movement longitudinally in said handle, and spring means mounted on said push rod between a fixed flange in said handle and a fixed flange on said push rod for compressing said spring means as it compresses during movement of said push rod in said handle during collapsing of said toggle, said spring means biasing said toggle to its under-center position after a collapsing action of said toggle.
 2. A toggle action gun as set forth in claim 1 wherein said spring means comprises a compression coil spring mounted around said push rod between said fixed flange on said push rod and said fixed flange in said handle.
 3. A toggle action gun as set forth in claim 1 wherein said push rod is pivotally mounted on said toggle and arranged to move substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the handle during movement of said toggle.
 4. A toggle action gun as set forth in claim 1 wherein said push rod is pivotally mounted adjacent said intermediate pivot axis of said toggle.
 5. A toggle action gun as set forth in claim 2 wherein a spring is mounted between said bolt and said frame for biasing said bolt toward its under-center toggle locked position.
 6. A toggle action gun as set forth in claim 4 in further combination with a second compression spring mounted between said bolt and said frame for movement parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bolt for biasing said bolt to its toggle under-center locked position, said spring means and said second compression spring cooperating to drive said bolt and said toggle back to its under-center locked position after a toggle collapsing operation.
 7. A toggle action gun as set forth in claim 6 wherein said push rod is slidably movable in said handle of said gun substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of said handle during a collapsing and extending movement of said toggle.
 8. A toggle action gun as set forth in claim 1 wherein said conduit means is capable of transmitting chamber pressures in excess of known barrel pressures to said zone immediately adjacent said under-center toggle. 